So I recently got my hands on the new Urban Decay ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ Collection. It took a while for this collection to launch in Singapore, and trust me, I was trolling the internets almost on a daily basis trying to get some kind of a hint as to when this will finally reach my sunny shores. So imagine my excitement when I logged onto Facebook one morning and saw Sephora Singapore announcing the launch of these palettes! Bearing in mind that these palettes are limited (plus my bursting excitement), I rushed down to my nearest Sephora on the same day and grabbed these 2!

First impression – these palettes are sleek and very beautifully packaged! The wonderful and unique part about this palette is also the fact that they adopt a ‘build-your-own-palette’ concept. When you buy the palette, the shadows inside are pre-packaged, so everyone gets the same colours. However, the individual shadows are removable and replaceable. That means that if any of the colours run out, you can go ahead and purchase individual Urban Decay eyeshadows and pop them in! Best part is, the colours in the palette are all full-sized! The palette also comes with a super saturated high gloss lip colour!

The Theodora palette contains mostly earthy-brown tones. It also contains 2 exclusive duo shadows in Spell and Jealous. This palette also comes with a Super Saturated High Gloss Lip Colour in Theodora, which is a bright red.

As far as swatches go, I am very impressed with the colour payoff. But then again, that comes as no surprise because most Urban Decay eyeshadows offer one of the best colour payoffs. The lip colour is also extremely glossy and does not dry your lips at all.

The Glinda palette is what impressed me the most. As it is, the colours are more light and clean, with a nice pop of purple. This palette also comes with a Super Saturated High Gloss Lip Colour in Glinda, which is a neutral peach colour.

The swatches for this palette are amazing! My favourite is Aura. What may seem like a normal white and pink to the naked eyes swatches entirely different! The colours are almost opalescent, which makes it look different under different lighting! I am extremely amazed by those colours and I think I will be using those the most!

Verdict

I do think these palettes are worth purchasing, simply because Urban Decay has such high quality products. However, I do admit that these palettes can be a little pricey (SGD$78 each). If you had to choose only one, I would recommend the Glinda palette. The Theodora palette, while nice, isn’t as breathtaking. As a matter of fact, the brown colours can be easily duped and kinda resemble most other browns and such. The Glinda palette, on the other hand, can produce much more interesting and fun looks!

That being said, if you’re someone who’s just starting out in makeup and would prefer to keep to a more natural look, then maybe the Theodora palette would be best!

Towards the end of last year, I purchased the new ELF baked blushes. I first got the know of them through itsjudytime. She did a review and I was very excited to get my hands on them and to try it out.

“Baked” makeup products are very trendy right now. More and more makeup companies are coming out with different kinds of baked cosmetics, from eyeshadows to blushes and bronzers. What are “baked” makeup anyway?

Normal panned cosmetic products are made from milled powder ingredients that are pressed into the pan. Baked makeup, however, are liquids that have been baked into solid powders. This makes it look somewhat like marble. Baked products are thus much more pigmented (less talc), and more blendable. Most baked makeup products can be used either wet or dry.

So anyway, back to the ELF baked blushes, I must say I was very impressed! ELF products are generally much more inexpensive, and the quality has always been good. I purchased 3 different colours of the baked blushes.

Firstly, the texture of the blushes are very good. It is vey pigmented, and also very blendable. I was very impressed with the colour payoff. Though I have to say that Peachy Cheeky and Passion Pink looks almost similar. The pinks and browns mix together to form a brilliant coral colour. Pinktastic on the other hand seems too light to be an actual blush, but it makes a beautiful highlighter that you could use on your cheekbones.

My only complain would be the fact that the blushes might be a bit too shimmery. It does give you a nice healthy glow, but for those girls with very oily faces, it might look a little too slick.

Overall, I love the blushes, and I wish they had more colours! I highly recommend this line of blush. For the price, I think it is a great product and good for everyday use.

My boyfriend and I recently went to Hong Kong for a holiday! With our heavy workload, it was a much needed break!

Hong Kong is indeed a shopper’s paradise! There were malls everywhere with great deals! Of course, Hong Kong is food haven too. We visited Disneyland and Ocean Park and had tonnes of fun!

As far as makeup was concerned, I tried my best to experiment with different kinds of looks every day without bringing too many different kinds of makeup with me on my trip. And I’m glad to announce that I managed to have a different look everyday!

As or fashion, the beautiful weather in Hong Kong allowed for different kinds of looks! It was wintertime, however, it was not too cold. So you have the option of playing around with different winter looks that are stylish, and comfortable, without freezing to death!

We managed to film some vlogs in Hong Kong, and I would like to share it with all of you!

This post is kinda overdue, considering the fact that it is already mid-December! Time fliesssssss! But hey, better late than never!

1) Bath and Body Works ‘Leaves’ Candle

I am absolutely obsessed with Bath and Body Works candles! I have heard many youtube gurus rave about Bath and Body Works, but they do not have an outlet in Singapore! So when I saw an online shop opening a spree for Bath and Body Works, I immediately jumped in and started buying! I bought a truckload of 3-wick and mini candles, and by far my most favourite is the Leaves candle! Bath and Body Works describes the candle as: “Like an afternoon spent jumping in a pile of freshly fallen leaves, this fragrance embodies all the richness of the season and features a medley of ripe delicious apples, red berries and golden nectar.” I have been burning it in my room and it smells heavenly!

2) Taylor Swift’s ‘Wonderstruck’ perfume

Speaking of scents, I bought this perfume at the beginning of the year, and I have to admit I bought it on impulse at duty free. When I brought it home and took a whiff of it, I hated the scent. For some reason, the smell did not appeal to me and kinda made me sick! Just last month, I decided that since I paid good money for this perfume, I’m gonna force myself to use it. So I did. I pinched my nose and sprayed it on myself. Towards the middle of the day, I started to fall in love with the scent! I guess it oxidized enough, and it smelt lovely! I even got many compliments on the scent, and I’ve been using it daily ever since! The official website describes the scent as: “In this fragrance, a charming and sparkling surprise of vibrant fruits kisses a bouquet of soft petals and a touch of sweet indulgence.”

3) MAC’s Eye Kohl in ‘Smoulder’

I’ve recently been very into using eyeliner pencils. I’ve always used liquid felt-tip eyeliner pens because I feel that they are just so easy to use. However, they can look very harsh on the eyes. When I want a softer look, I would switch to eyeliner pencil. And my favourite by far would have to be MAC’s eye kohl in ‘Smoulder’. It is extremely soft and creamy, making it very easy to put on, and also very easy to blend!

4) OPI’s Skyfall

I bought this straight after watching Skyfall. C’mon, who doesn’t love James Bond?! I gotta admit that I don’t really fancy all the colours. All that the colours are ugly, just probably not really my style. But my favourite is Goldeneye! It’s a very pretty gold sparkly shade. But unlike other glitter/sparkle polishes, this one isn’t hard to remove at all!

5) Cellulose Sponge

I know! I know! How weird right?! But lemme tell you this, this little sponge works wonders!!! I have been using this in the shower with my facial wash and it makes a whole load of difference! I use it once a day, usually at nights, and gently rub it over my skin in circular motions. It really thoroughly cleanses your pores and makes your face much smoother and less prone to breakouts. And the best part?? It’s so inexpensive! I bought a pack of 4 for about a dollar at a drugstore!

6) L’oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in ‘Hourglass Beige’

I have been using this eyeshadow a lot the past month. The texture of this shadow is weird. Almost like a sort of pressed pigment. But it’s good! It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I realized that the best way to apply this is by just using your fingers. This particular colour is my favourite and I think it is the perfect dupe for Stila’s ‘Kitten’ eyeshadow.

Christmas is just around the corner!!! And I LOVEEEEEEE Christmas! It is without a doubt my most favourite time of the year! And of course, I have my very own (unattainable) Christmas wishlist. It doesn’t mean anyone has to get me anything. These are just things that I have been wanting for the longest time, and I think I’m gonna spoil myself by getting some of them!

So without further ado, in order of most desirable to not as desirable….

I have been eyeing this bag for the longest time!!!! I am actually thinking of getting this real soon. Perhaps before Chinese New Year. It’s not exactly very pricey, as compared to most branded bags out there. So I think I’m gonna be getting myself this soon!

Just look at the colours!!! I am a sucker for Urban Decay eyeshadows. I have both the Naked 1 and 2 palettes, and they are my go-to palette. I take them with me when I’m travelling, and pretty much use them everyday. Urban Decay shadows are just so high in quality and their colours are to-die-for!

I’m gonna be honest with you – when Tory Burch set up their first shop in Singapore, I freaked out. I’ve been hearing so much about this brand, and admiring their different products! I believe they are relatively affordable in the States, but for some reason, the prices went up by a lot in Singapore. The only way for me to afford these is by buying them online! However, I always hesitate when buying pricier shoes.

I personally don’t have a lot of makeup brushes. They are just too expensive, and I would rather spend money on makeup instead. But I’m starting to understand how having a good set of tools will help with my art. And by that, I mean it’s time to start investing in a good set of makeup brushes. And when you think of makeup brushes, you automatically think of Sigma!

I’ve always wanted a comfy pair of TOMS shoes. In my line of work, there are sometimes a lot of walking and standing to do when you’re out on shoots. I think a comfy pair of shoes is essential. And what better shoes to buy than one that gives to charity right? For every TOMS shoes you buy, TOMS will give one pair to a child in need. Problem is, TOMS are so expensive in Singapore! I’m actually travelling to Hong Kong soon, so I think I will pick up a pair there! Hopefully it will be much cheaper!

Eyeliner has a way of completely transforming your eyes. Whatever your eye shape is, eyeliner can make them bigger/smaller/longer/rounder/wider/etc. It is insane how different you can look with and without eyeliner.

Personally, I do not use eyeliner on a daily basis. I’m still trying to perfect my eyeliner skills. I’ve been experimenting with different kinds of eyeliners, and I have to say that I like liquid liners the most.

However, a lot of people have questions when it comes to eyeliners. Namely… how do I make my eyeliner last? Well, I have some tips for you!

1) Prime

It is very important to first prime your eyes before using any kind of eye product, especially if you have oily eyelids, like me. Primers helps your eyelids to remain relatively oil-free. It also prevents your eyeshadow from creasing and helps the colours to become more vibrant. In the case of eyeliners, primers help your eyeliner to stay put and decreases the chances of it smudging. Personally, I recommend the Twofaced Shadow Insurance, or the Urban Decay Primer Potion. Both works very well, and I love the texture of it.

2) Conceal

Eyeliner stays better above the creamy texture of your concealer. If you do not wish to use concealer on your upper eyelid, you can even choose to use a creamy eyecream, which would give the same effect. Setting your concealer with a good setting powder would also help the eyeliner to remai smudgeproof. My favourite concealer at the moment would be the Revlon Photoready concealer. It has a very nice colour tone that matches my skin perfectly, and it is very nice and creamy!

3) Long lasting

This is a no-brainer – in order to ensure your eyeliner stays all day, you need a good quality product! A good waterproof eyeliner would do the trick! You have to understand though, waterproof does not equate to smudgeproof! A lot of people have this misconception that waterproof eyeliner is supposed to withstand everything! But that’s not true. A part from tears, our eyes produces oil as well. And while the eyeliner may be resistant to the tears, it might not fare well with oils! My favourite waterproof eyeliners are the Dolly Wink liquid liner and the K-Palette 24h waterproof liner!

4) Set

Another good way to ensure that your eyeliner doesn’t move is by setting it with a powder. You can use a matte black eyeshadow (I recommend MAC’s Carbon), or whatever matte colour that matches your eyeliner. Alternatively, you can also set it with translucent powder. Just take an angled or flat top brush and gently press the powder on top of your eyeliner to hold it in place!

I had the chance to do hair and makeup for this beauty this week: Irina. Irina is without a doubt a natural beauty. She had excellent bone structure. I wanted to make sure that I didn’t contour too much, otherwise she might look too ‘skeletal’.

I mainly used the Urban Decay Naked Palette on her eyes, using the gold tones.

My main challenge was Irina’s hair. She has extremely thin hair that almost made it impossible to style. She came equipped with her own hair extensions, unfortunately, I had no idea how to put her hair extensions on. Her hair extensions did not come with built-in clips, so I struggled. Which makes me want to learn how to deal with this whole hair extensions thing. At the end, I just curled her hair with a 1-inch curling iron.

Happy November everyone! It is shocking how time flies! So on this first of November, I would like to share with you guys some products and things I’ve been enjoying for the entire month of October!

1) TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray

I style my hair with heated tools almost on a daily basis. If I do not have my hair up in a bun or braids, chances are I will straighten or curl it. When you use heated tools on your hair, you want to make sure that you protect it against heat damage first. I have used a wide range of heat-protectant products before, and I daresay that this TRESemmé one is definitely my favourite! Before using any heated tools on your hair, spray a generous amount of this heat protectant on your hair, concentrating on the tips where it is the most fragile and dry. This spray not only protects your hair from the heat, it also helps to hold your style. An extra plus would be that this spray smells so good! It has a light fruity scent that stays in your hair the whole day! I love it and I’ve been using this the whole month!

2) Nivea Pure & Natural Camomile and Calendula Chapstick

Just in case you didn’t know, I am addicted to chapsticks. That’s right – addicted. I apply chapstick to my lips regularly, sometimes once every 15 minutes, if I feel like it is wearing off, or if my lips are particularly dry. I used to wake up to extremely chapped lips, to the point where they would be bleeding. Drinking water or even brushing my teeth in the morning would literally be a pain. Ever since then, I started applying chapsticks regularly, and thankfully I don’t have extremely chapped lips anymore. However, I also have very sensitive lips. There are occasions where I use the wrong lip products and my lips start to itch and swell to the size of Angelina Jolie’s! However, this Nivea Pure & Natural Camomille and Calendula chapstick has been extremely gentle on my lips! It has never once made me feel uncomfortable, and it also gives my lips enough moisture so I don’t look like a compulsive chapstick freak! I also like that it has a nice scent that is not too overpowering.

3) Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Adore

Speaking of lips, my new favourite lip product would be the new Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in the colour ‘Adore’. I have been using this practically everyday for the whole of October. As a ‘balm stain’, this lip product glides on easily like a lipbalm, giving your lips moisture, and also colour. However, the awesome part about this is that it also acts as a stain, meaning that even after eating or an entire day of wear and tear, the colour stains your lips, staying with you until you remove it with makeup remover! That means you don’t have to touch up your colour as often! I love this particular colour and I think it is especially nice for this fall period. It gives a nice berry-red colour that is not too dark, yet visible. So you don’t look overly made-up, yet it gives you a good overall energetic feel.

4) Elianto Spring Forest Makeup Kit

I bought this makeup palette a pretty long time ago. I would say maybe 1 or 2 years ago on a day trip to Johor Bahru. To be honest, I bought it on impulse because it was on sale. But when I brought the palette back, I didn’t quite know what to do with it. The colours were way too bright to wear on a daily basis, and at that time, I was not very experimental with bright colours. However, I re-discovered this palette again in the last month and decided to make use of it. Might as well, right? I found myself absolutely falling in love with the colours, especially the bright pink and purple! I realised that with an appropriately mixture of browns and other earthly tones, you can tone down the bright colours and make it not as bold and attention grabbing! However, I am sad to say that I don’t think you can find this palette anymore. I believe it has been discontinued.

5) MAC’s single eyeshadow in ‘Beauty Marked’

This is one of my ultimate most favourite MAC eyeshadow colours, and I’ve been using it to death in the month of October! This is a pretty dark purple (almost black) shadow with pretty purple iridescent and sparkles in it! When it hits the sun, it glitters so beautifully! I love it because it is dark enough to be a nice crease or outer-v colour, yet it’s not too stark black. Plus, that little purple shine just makes everything so pretty! This eyeshadow works well with pretty much any combination of colours!

Everyone has their own celebrity muses – someone who inspires their fashion, hair, and even makeup. Today, I would like to share with you some of my own celebrity inspirations!

Key: Contours and hightlights.Now I know what you’re thinking – “Inspiration what?! Kim Kardashian?!” Yes! I know the words ‘inspiration’ and ‘Kardashian’ probably should not be in the same sentence, however, I have to say that despite all the shenanigans this girl gets up to, her makeup is always flawless! Kim’s makeup artist is none other than the beautiful Joyce Bonelli. And Kim’s makeup is all about contours and highlights! Her makeup artist knows exactly where to put bronzer and highlighter to make Kim look as if she is glowing all the time. Kim’s chiseled face is so beautiful! Put bronzer on the high points of your face, wherever the sun might hit (eg. cheekbones, temples, nose, chin etc.) to achieve a sunkissed glow! Also, suck in your cheeks and make a fishy-face. Then put a matte bronzer that is a couple shades darker than your own skin tone and apply it on the hollows of your cheeks to create a slimmer, more defined face.

Key: Bold, colourful eyes.When you look at Katy Perry, no doubt the first thing that draws you to her are her eyes. Yes, I mean the eyes on her face. Katy has beautiful eyes that are big and round that are beautiful on its own (once again, the eyes on her face). Thus, she can carry off most looks – from classic to crazy bold colours. I like her colourful looks best. Especially the one she sported in her ‘TGIF (Last Friday Night)’ video. If you want to experiment with colours but you’re scared or a bit more conservative, you can start off by using a colourful eyeliner on your lower or upper lashline for a pop of colour. Colours are fun! Do not be afraid to use them! In order to achieve the perfect Katy Perry look, you need 3 must-haves: 1) eyebrow pencil, 2) false eyelashes, and 3) a bold matte lipstick.

Key: Flawless, glowing skin.
Now, this famous Gossip Girl is lucky to be a natural beauty. I have seen pictures of Leighton without a smudge of makeup on, and she looks beautiful! The fact that Leighton has naturally beautiful skin helps a lot. Which tells you how important a good and healthy skincare routine is! Your natural skin is the base and canvas for makeup. It is important to have a healthy base in order to achieve the most healthy makeup look that is natural and not too thick. Leighton’s makeup is all about achieving porcelain skin. To get her dewy look, it is important that you moisturize before applying foundation. Also, only apply concealer at areas where is it necessary. Too much concealer might end up looking too cakey! Leighton has naturally high and gorgeous cheekbones, but if you don’t, highlighting the cheekbones also helps to give a healthy glow.

Key: Cat-eye eyeliner.Taylor Swift’s look rarely changes – curly hair, cat-eyes, red lip. Occasionally we see Taylor with straight hair, or a pink lip. But one thing never changes – her cat-eyes. Taylor’s look is always fresh, light and classic, with a flick of the eyeliner and matte red lips. Eyeshadow-wise, she usually uses an ivory shadow all over the lid, with a soft brown in the crease for some added definition. It also keeps the look extremely fresh and natural. To achieve Taylor’s signature cat-eye eyeliner, it’s always best to use a liquid liner. Personally, I adore liquid liners simply because I think they are easier to control and use. But also, liquid liners give you an intense black line with little to no smudges.

I hope my makeup inspirations have given you some inspiration as well! It’s always nice to find a celebrity who’s personally best suits your style, and then try to match their makeup while adding in your own flare here and there for a personalized look! Or you could just be like me and experiment with all different kinds of makeup look, and then find one that best suits you.